"Say Fellows—" eBook

CHAPTER VI.

Of the consecration of the Church, and the investiture
of the first Brothers in Windesem.

In the year of the Lord 1387, on the day before the
Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, the first Church
of the Monastery in Windesem was consecrated in Honour
of the glorious Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

This place received the name Windesem from the village
that lieth near to it, and it is one mile from Zwolle,
toward the south; near the eastern side thereof is
the River Yssel; also some space away is Hattem, the
strongest fortress in Geldria.

On this same day six Brothers made their profession
and were invested with the habit of the Order of Canons
Regular, who observe the rule of Augustine, the glorious
Bishop and Father of our Order. The names of
these are as followeth:

Brother Henry of Huxaria, a Priest.

Brother Werner of Lochem, in Geldria, the first Prior
of the house there.

Brother John of Kempen, in the diocese of Cologne,
who was afterward
Prior at Mount St. Agnes.

Brother Henry Wilde of Hertzogenbosch, in Brabant.

Brother Berthold ten Hove, a native of Holland, who
conveyed to us his patrimony and the place where the
monastery standeth.

Brother Henry Wilsem of Kampen, a man of great probity,
who was formerly a great one in the world. He
was eloquent in discourse, humble and earnest in the
service of God.

With these and others that loved holy religion, this
new foundation of the Order of Canons Regular in the
diocese of Utrecht had its beginning after the happy
death of Master Gerard Groote, and under the rule of
Florentius, Bishop of Utrecht, it increased by little
and little, but in process of time it began to grow
yet more fruitfully in divers places. All the
men above named, save only one, had been disciples
of Master Gerard, by whom they, with many other Clerks,
were drawn to the amending of their lives, being imbued
with his wholesome exhortation.

CHAPTER VII.

Of the death of John de Gronde, a Priest.

In the year of the Lord 1392, on the 17th day of May,
being the day following the Feast of St. John before
the Latin Gate, and at the fourth hour in the morning,
John de Gronde died at Deventer, in the house of Florentius.
He was a devout Priest and a mighty Preacher of the
Word, and it was in the fortieth year of his age.
The town of Octmesheim, in the district of Twent,
and the diocese of Cologne, was his native place,
and he was a man adorned with modesty and eloquence,
and the venerable Master Gerard let summon him from
Amsterdam in Holland to hear the confessions of the
devout, likewise Gerard committed to him the governance
of the Sisters of his House. For awhile he abode
with the first Brothers in the ancient House of Florentius,
and rose up with the others in the morning to recite
the Hours; and when the time for rising came, he awoke
straightway and went forthwith to arouse the other
Brothers, knocking and saying: “Arise, watch
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.”
Of this thing Master Gerard maketh mention in the
letter which he wrote to the priests at Amsterdam,
what time he besought that John should be sent to
him, for this alacrity did especially please him.